GLEN SPEY, NY — The slow local economy stole the show at last week’s town board meeting in Lumberland.

The highlights at the August 10 town board meeting were supposed to have been passage of an abandoned building ordinance, the so-called “zombie” law; and a hearing and finalization for Lumberland’s updated comprehensive plan. It didn’t work out that way.

The “zombie” went by the wayside, after attorney for the town Danielle Jose-Decker reported that the state recently approved legislation covering much of the same ground as the local law, and since local law can’t supersede the state, there wasn’t much point in considering a local law further. The board accepted her advice and withdrew the approval from the agenda.

Next came the public hearing for the comprehensive plan. The plan is not law and not a lot of discussion was anticipated. There were some typographical questions and others correcting the naming of locations.

As things appeared to be winding down, planning board member Ed Cavello brought up the local economy. The town, he said, was in an economic downfall, “People, kids are leaving. There is no reason to come here—there’s no tourism, we can’t sustain a restaurant. There’s something going on,” he said.

Cavello spoke of a micro-brewery operation that was not permitted in Lumberland “and went next door [to Eldred] .... We’re over-regulating. It’s a hard row to hoe on the planning board.”

Cavello was followed by Pond Eddy property owner Paul Smith, who spoke of the planning survey he’d received and said many others didn’t get one. People were not aware of what was going on, he said.

Of those who did, he said, more than half—29 of 54—called for less regulation.

Cavello spoke again, saying Lumberland was copying restrictive material from other towns. “I’m a property rights advocate. If the kids want to camp in the yard for the weekend, you don’t have to regulate it. It’s crazy.”

Jose-Decker said the only agency rebuttal to the comprehensive plan came from Freda Eisenberg, director of the county planning office, who objected to the suggested removal of conservation subdivisions. She recommended plan approval, subject to county comments and typographical changes.

The board voted 4-1 to approve, with James Akt opposed. “There’s nothing wrong with the old plan,” Akt said later of his vote.

He agreed with audience criticism about the economy. “You heard what that guy said.” he added.

Another resolution, which had been tabled last month, would have prohibited the carrying of firearms on town property by anyone other than police and court officials. It failed when Councilman Joe Carr’s motion did not receive a second for discussion. The resolution had been recommended by the town’s insurance carrier.

Supervisor Jenny Mellan said the ban would have been impossible to enforce without costly equipment and personnel additions. “You’d have to have someone here whenever the buildings were open. It’s too expensive for a small town like ours,” she said.

Patrick Cahill, the town’s chief administrative constable, spoke to what Mellan referred to as “a problem” that has developed with the fundraising Bikeathon that has been held at and around Camp Simca for the past two years. “You’ve got a town of about 2,000 people in a square-mile. It’s like the town’s whole population is concentrated there. We had three constables and three sheriff’s deputies, and it’s very difficult to get in there. We have to talk to them and see where we go from here,” he said.